A good place to start
Not everybody who books an appointment wants an injection, and plenty of people want to meet Rachel before they decide about anything else. A facial is the easiest way to do both.
They also do genuine work. Skin that is dull, congested or flaking responds quickly to being properly cleaned, exfoliated and hydrated, and that is most of what a facial is.
Dermaplaning
A sterile blade is used to take off dead surface skin and the fine hair that sits with it. Skin feels noticeably smoother straight away, makeup sits flatter, and products get further in. The hair grows back exactly as it was. It does not come back thicker, whatever you have been told.
Chemical peels
A peel works chemically rather than physically, loosening the bonds holding dead skin at the surface so it lifts away. It suits congestion, uneven tone and dullness. Expect the skin to feel tight for a day or two, and expect to be strict about sun protection afterwards.
Microneedling
Very fine needles make controlled channels in the skin, and the repair the skin does in response is the treatment. It is used for texture, for scarring and for skin that has lost firmness. This is the one with real downtime: expect to look windburnt for a day or two.
Like skin boosters, microneedling builds with repetition rather than arriving all at once.
Which facial to choose
Rachel's facials build on each other, from a dermaplane on its own up to the full works. If you are not sure, book the one that fits the time you have and tell her what your skin does. She will point you at the right one next time, including if that is a cheaper one.
Afterwards
- Redness for a few hours, longer after a peel or microneedling
- Sun protection every day afterwards, and properly
- No sunbeds, sauna or hot yoga for a couple of days
- Leave retinol and acids out of your routine for a few days
- Do not book a peel or microneedling in the week before an event